Organic farming in Canada

Once considered a fad, organic food is now the fasting growing sector within Canada’s agricultural economy.  

We are buying more organic food than ever ? a trend linked to mounting public awareness of environmental issues.  

But farmers who want to grow organic crops run into a number of challenges. First, getting fully certified as an organic producer is a complicated process that takes a minimum of two  three years ? and lost time is lost money.

Once certified, farmers must expect smaller yields than with conventional farming. And government subsidy programs, designed for large-scale traditional farming, will not be available to them.

Among consumers, the popularity of organic foods has sparked a lively debate on the merits of organic vs. local foods. Are the benefits of organic farming undone by the fact that Canadians import most of their organic foods? Would eating local foods? Even if they are grown with conventional methods? Be a better way to go?

Here’s some more food for thought...

Trends and issues

•    Definition: Organic agriculture avoids the use of chemical fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, synthetic veterinary drugs, genetically modified organisms, and certain food processing and preservation substances.
•    Regulations and standards: Canada has had national organic standards since 1999, but about 30 organic certification bodies also operate across the country. Organic standards, however, differ across nation borders – and most organic food consumed by Canadians was produced in the USA.
•    Total acreage: Out of a total of 68 million hectares of agricultural land, over 600,000 hectares are classified as organic, representing 0.9% of Canada’s total agricultural land.
•    Growth: Canada’s organic food sector is the fastest-growing agricultural sector in Canada, growing by about 20% a year. The total number of certified organic farms in Canada steadily increased over the 1990s and between 2000 and 2004. Over 600,000 hectares are now dedicated to organic production.
•    By province: The majority of organic producers are in Saskatchewan, Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia. In 2005, 34% of Canada’s organic farms were in Saskatchewan and 23% were in Quebec.
•    International ranking: In terms of percentage of total agricultural land dedicated to organic production, Canada ranked 15th out of 17 peer countries in 2008. In terms of total acreage, Canada ranks 6th out of the 17 OECD countries.
•    Number of organic farms: Canada had about 3,570 organic farms in 2006, ranking it 9th out of 17 peer countries. Many other farms dedicate part of their production to organic.  
•    Main crops: Canada’s main organic crops are hay and field crops like wheat, durum and barley.
•    Exports: Canada exports 80% of its organic production, mostly organic wheat. Organic wheat exports are valued at $18 million yearly. In 2008 about 2,400 Canadian farms, covering about 230,000 hectares, were producing for export.
•    Imports: Canada imports about 90% of its organic grocery items and 80% of its fresh organic produce.


Sources:                                                                                                           
Environment: Organic Farming, The Conference Board of Canada, 2009; Organic Farming in Canada: An Overview, Library of Parliament, 2004